1. Field
The present application relates to pillows. More specifically, the present application is directed to a pillow with an inflatable bladder assembly and a method of manufacturing a pillow with an inflatable bladder assembly.
2. Brief Discussion of Related Art
Invariably, rest and sleep are among the body's numerous mechanisms to heal itself from the postural, physical and nervous assaults throughout the previous day. Conventional pillows, which include a pillow casing and fill material, are known in the art and they have not undergone significant changes in the many years of pillow making.
In recent years, pillows that incorporate inflatable bladder assemblies have been designed to provide upper back, neck and head support in order to keep the upper spine and neck in neural positions. These pillows provide for comfort and support, and can make a difference in alleviating and/or avoiding back pain, neck pain and further in providing a restful and therapeutic night's sleep.
An inflatable bladder of the inflatable bladder assembly is disposed within the fill material in the pillow casing in a desired orientation, with an inflation bulb and valve assembly of the of the inflatable bladder assembly disposed to the outside of the pillow and connected to the bladder through the pillow casing via a flexible tubing. This allows the inflatable bladder disposed in the pillow to be inflated and deflated from the outside of the pillow.
Generally, the inflatable bladder is inserted within the fill material in the pillow casing but remains unsecured in relation to the pillow, including the pillow casing and the fill material. If a user is not careful, the constant pulling and tugging on the inflatable bladder via the flexible tubing—whether by the user operating the inflatable bladder or inadvertently by catching the inflation bulb and valve assembly on other objects—can cause the inflatable bladder in some cases to displace from the original desired orientation and in worst cases to come out of the pillow entirely.
There is a need in the art to provide a pillow that secures the inflatable bladder in a desired orientation in relation to the pillow casing and the fill material of the pillow to provide comfortable, restful and therapeutic sleeping positions for the user and to reduce the potential for shifting of the inflatable bladder from the desired orientation and/or damaging the pillow entirely, while reducing pillow production costs necessary to secure the inflatable bladder in the desired orientation in relation to the pillow.